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Otto365 AI Brief #032

ChatGPT: new data shows the work people bring to it

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Published 28 Oct 2026, 11:30 UK
By the Otto365 AI Brief. The script was drafted with AI assistance, and every claim was checked against the sources below by our automated checks. Published on 28 Oct 2026 under the standing approval of Peter Ferguson, Editor.
Announced 26 Oct 2026
Voiced by AI

What happened

What work do people bring to ChatGPT? New data has an answer. OpenAI announced new data on the work people bring to ChatGPT on the 26th of October 2026. It covers 165 work activities across nearly 100 countries, for researchers studying AI's role in the economy.1

Three things to know

165 activity categories First, OpenAI says it sorts work messages into activity categories, from preparing instructional materials and developing marketing content to programming and analysing business data. Researchers can compare countries and track changes over time.1
Top ten: 56.0% to 51.1% Second, across 74 countries, the ten most common activities fell from 56.0% of classified work messages in Q1 2025 to 51.1% in Q3 2026. Different countries specialise in different kinds of work.1
Individual plans only Third, it covers individual ChatGPT plans, not enterprise messages or Codex, and compares with United States jobs; the UK is not named. OpenAI says researchers do not read conversations; messages are classified after identifying information is removed.1

Why it matters to you

Otto365's take (opinion)

So, my take. Use is spreading past the obvious tasks and varies by country, and since only individual plans are counted, a UK small business should check which plan its staff use.1

Do this week

Try this: pick one repeat task, like marketing copy, and test it.

Sources

OpenAI: ChatGPT’s expanding world of work (opens in a new tab) Primary source, accessed 26 Oct 2026

The quotes we checked (15)

we are releasing OpenAI Signals data that explores 165 work activities across nearly 100 countries, revealing how consumers use ChatGPT for work.
OpenAI · source 1
This data gives researchers a new way to study AI’s role in the economy, with new information on the work activities people bring to ChatGPT
OpenAI · source 1
October 26, 2026 Research ChatGPT’s expanding world of work
OpenAI · source 1
from preparing instructional materials and developing marketing content to programming and analyzing business data.
OpenAI · source 1
Researchers can use this data to explore how ChatGPT use for work differs across countries, track changes over time, and match this data to other economic indicators.
OpenAI · source 1
The release connects ChatGPT usage to 165 work activity categories called Intermediate Work Activities (IWAs).
OpenAI · source 1
The data is represented quarterly, spanning a period from the first quarter of 2025 through the third quarter of 2026.
OpenAI · source 1
The data shows wide variation across countries in how people use ChatGPT for work.
OpenAI · source 1
The interactive chart below can be used to explore these work activities within a specific country over time, moving from broad activity groups to more specific activities.
OpenAI · source 1
work-related use became less concentrated in the most common activities. That means that countries tended to specialize in their work over time, and different countries specialized in different types of work.
OpenAI · source 1
Across 74 countries observed in every quarter, the ten most common activities represented an average of 51.1% of each country’s classified work messages in Q3 2026, down from 56.0% in Q1 2025.
OpenAI · source 1
The data covers work-related messages on individual ChatGPT plans and does not include enterprise messages or Codex use.
OpenAI · source 1
Connecting ChatGPT usage data with IWAs lets researchers compare ChatGPT messages with activities performed across U.S. jobs.
OpenAI · source 1
researchers do not read individual conversations. Automated systems classify messages after identifying information is removed.
OpenAI · source 1
We publish aggregated statistics, withhold results for small groups, and add statistical noise to protect individual messages.
OpenAI · source 1

Full transcript

Sam: Otto! New data on the work people bring to ChatGPT!

Play from 0:03 Otto365: I know. OpenAI announced it on the 26th of October. Sam: What's actually in it?

Play from 0:09 Otto365: 165 work activities across nearly 100 countries. Sam: What kind of work? Otto365: OpenAI says it sorts work messages into activity categories. Think instructional materials, marketing content, programming and business data. Sam: What is it for? Otto365: Researchers can compare countries and track changes over time.

Play from 0:27 Sam: Is everyone using it for the same few things? Otto365: Less than before. Across 74 countries, the top ten activities fell from 56% of work messages to just over 51%. Sam: Over how long? Otto365: From Q1 2025 to Q3 2026. Different countries specialise in different kinds of work.

Play from 0:47 Sam: Does it count my team's work accounts? Otto365: Only individual ChatGPT plans, not enterprise messages or Codex. And it compares with United States jobs. Sam: And the UK? Otto365: The UK is not named. OpenAI says researchers do not read conversations, and identifying information is removed first.

Play from 1:06 Sam: Brilliant. The team can all use their own accounts! Otto365: Use is spreading past the obvious tasks. But only individual plans are counted, so check which plan your staff use. Sam: You're no fun at all.

Play from 1:18 Otto365: I'm fun in aggregate. Try this: pick one repeat task, like marketing copy, and test it.

Otto365: I'm Otto365.

Follow the Brief.

On screen

Play from 0:00: Otto365 AI Brief #032, OpenAI ChatGPT, 26 Oct 2026; What work do people bring to ChatGPT?; Preparing instructional materials; Developing marketing content; Programming; Analysing business data; OpenAI Signals data
Play from 0:03: ChatGPT's world of work; Announced 26 Oct 2026; 165 work activities; Nearly 100 countries; Quarterly, Q1 2025 to Q3 2026; Source: OpenAI, 26 Oct 2026
Play from 0:09: 165 activity categories; Work message; One of 165 tasks; By country; Over time; Choose a country; Activity group; Specific task; Changes over time
Play from 0:27: Top ten: 56.0% to 51.1%; Q1 2025: Top ten: 56.0%; Q3 2026: Top ten: 51.1%, 74 countries; Less concentrated at the top; Countries specialise; Different work by country
Play from 0:47: Individual plans only; Counted: Individual plans, Work messages; Not counted: Enterprise, Codex use; Info removed; Auto-classified; Aggregated; Noise added
Play from 1:06: Check staff plans; Where this is going; Beyond the top tasks; Varies by country; Individual plans only; Individual plans: counted; Enterprise: not counted; Codex: not counted
Play from 1:18: Test one repeat task; Voiced by AI. Fact-checked against its sources. Apps 365 sells AI and Microsoft 365 services. Not endorsed by companies named.

Voiced by AI. Fact-checked against its sources. Apps 365 sells AI and Microsoft 365 services. Not endorsed by companies named. Report an error.

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